Edinburgh

As the capital city of Scotland and home to the castle, Festival and one of the most interesting city centers in Europe, Edinburgh attracts visitors from all over the world. Although there are no whisky distilleries in the city, there are a number of options for learning more about this cornerstone of Scottish culture. Whisky is both an important export and something which is deeply rooted in the Scottish way of life, where it is known as uisge beatha, or the water of life.

Whisky Heritage Centre

Right at the top of the Royal Mile, just a stone’s throw from the Castle is the Whisky Heritage Centre, there is an interactive tourist attraction which will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about how whisky is made, bottled and distributed. Experts tell visitors about the art of blending. There is even the chance to taste some whisky for yourself, with soft drinks as an option for children. The Scotch Whisky Centre has won numerous awards for its inventive approach to tourism, and has the largest collection of bottles of whisky anywhere in the world.

Scotland Whisky

If you’d prefer to see the real thing, one of the best places to see whisky making is on the island of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland. Small mini-bus tours, which show the 8 main distilleries over 4 days, are very popular and will give visitors and locals alike a great insight into every aspect of whisky making. Apart from the whisky making, Islay is a beautiful, remote island with plenty to see apart from whisky, making it the ideal option for people wanting to experience a true flavor of Scotland in depth. The small size of the groups on the tour also gives a great chance to get to know other tourists and to ask lots of questions too.

Timberbush

If you can’t spare 4 days out of your holiday to take a trip round distilleries, then the one day tour offered by Timberbush could be the perfect solution. Leaving from Edinburgh early in the morning, the tour takes visitors to picturesque Perthshire, home to both distilleries and the famous Gleneagles estate. The tour takes in Glenturret distillery, the oldest in Scotland, and the Famous Grouse Experience, home to an interactive tasting bar, restaurant and the warehouses where the whisky matures until it is ready to be consumed.

Author: Kelvin French is a whiskey enthusiast and recommends you try these tours out.

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